Second Congressional District hopefuls, from left,, Jason Lewis, Pam Myhra, John Howe, Darlene Miller and David Gerson debate Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs

Five candidates for the Republican Party nomination for Congress in Minnesota’s Second Congressional District faced off in a debate Thursday at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Affairs.

Activist David Gerson, former lawmaker John Howe, former talk radio host Jason Lewis, former lawmaker Pam Myhra and business owner Darlene Miller spent almost 90 minutes discussing spending, foreign policy and several other issues.

This was the first debate to feature Miller, who entered the race just this month.

In contrast to some past meetings, candidates spent very little of the time attacking each other. Instead, they stayed mostly focused on questions of policy in their 60-second answers.

Visit twincities.com to watch a replay of the debate. Below are quotes from each candidate and the context that help capture the ideas on display:

DAVID GERSON

— “My fear is that big money can come in, go straight to the primary, and totally disrespect the voice of the people.”

Context: Republican activists will hold an endorsement convention in the spring to pick a favored candidate for the Second District — but losing candidates can choose to ignore the endorsement and run in the primary. Gerson, Lewis and Myhra have promised they’ll respect the endorsement process if they lose. Miller and Howe will likely go to a primary.

— “Unfortunately the administration’s own data show that the solutions they want to impose will have an insignificant effect, though they will have a great effect on the economy.”

Context: Gerson was discussing climate change, and reflected a general consensus among the Republican candidates that while the planet might be warming, proposed efforts to cut back on carbon emissions would be too damaging to the economy.

— “As Sam Adams famously said, it does not take a majority to prevail, but rather a tireless, irate minority keen on setting the brushfires of freedom in the minds of men. … I am part of this generation’s tireless, irate minority, and we are setting brushfires throughout the Second Congressional District.”

Context: The idea that an “irate minority” can cause real change encompasses both Gerson’s insurgent campaign style and the approach he’d take as a lawmaker, scorning traditional efforts to build majorities through consensus and compromise.

JOHN HOWE

— “Being mayor, that helped me be a better (state) senator. And being a senator is going to help me be a better congressman.”

Context: Howe is defending his experience in government at a time when many Republican voters have been warming to outsider candidates. Howe and Myhra have served in the Legislature, but Gerson, Lewis and Miller have had no experience in elected office.

— “We absolutely need to know who’s coming into our country. We can’t just base it on religion. … That’s not what America’s about.”

Context: All five candidates echoed this sentiment, rejecting a proposal by presidential candidate Donald Trump for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S. The candidates all also said Trump’s call for a wall on the Mexican border was impractical — and his claim to be able to get Mexico to pay for it impossible.

— “I think that we just need to encourage people to work the best that they can, get educational opportunities — but money’s not the answer.”

Context: This was an answer to a question about how the government should tackle racial disparities.

JASON LEWIS

Context: Lewis said he’d be in favor of making deals with some unsavory characters, such as Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, to focus on bigger threats — in part because Lewis said he opposes major deployments of American ground troups to the Middle East.

— “In far too many cases, the drug laws are enforced in the inner city. … That has a disproportionate effect on people of color.”

Context: While most of the candidates downplayed the role the federal government had in responding to racial disparities, Lewis identified enforcement of drug laws as a way in which government has caused those disparities.

— “You know where I stand. I’ve been telling you publicly for 25 years. You can’t run away from that and I don’t intend to.”

Context: Lewis’ long career as a talk radio host means he’s on the record making a lot of controversial statements — statements his opponents in the nomination contest and the general election are likely to use against him.

DARLENE MILLER

— “I’m not a politician, I’m a business leader.”

Context: Miller is pitching her lack of elected experience as a benefit — in a year where outsider presidential candidates such as Donald Trump and Ben Carson have attracted many Republican voters disgusted with conventional politics. Her approach contrasts with Howe, who embraced his electoral experience instead of downplaying it in favor of his business background.

— “We are too far right and too far left.”

Context: Miller was agreeing with a statement by moderator Steve Sviggum, a former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, that voters feel both major political parties have become too extreme.

— “I agree with Pam (Myhra): We cannot cut our defense. We live in fear right now and we need to get even more aggressive.”

Context: Miller and Myhra both took hawkish positions on foreign policy. That put them in contrast to Lewis, who said there’s plenty of wasteful spending to be cut at the Pentagon without harming national defense.

PAM MYHRA

— “We need to keep our promises to those who are retired or near retirement. But we also need to stop making so many promises.”

Context: Myrha embraced the need for entitlement reform as a way to bring America’s budget into balance. But like most Republicans, she said that any reductions or changes to benefits shouldn’t apply to people at or near retirement — a demographic group that has, coincidentally or not, powered Republican congressional landslides in 2010 and 2014.

— “I would follow the lead of Congressman Steve King from Iowa. I respect his voice and would follow that.”

Context: Myhra cited King, the right-wing firebrand congressman from northwest Iowa, immediately after saying she probably wouldn’t join the far-right House Freedom Caucus if elected. Associating herself with King helped shore up her bona fides with conservatives who might not have liked her Freedom Caucus position, but citing the controversial King as a model could open her up for attacks in the general election.

— “There is always hope. And I am a very hopeful person.”

Context: In their opening statements, Myhra and Miller inadvertently set up a contrast with each other. Myhra cast herself as an optimist, while Miller emphasized how everyday Americans are still struggling “despite the happy talk we heard last week at the State of the Union” address by President Barack Obama.

David covered politics and government for the Pioneer Press from 2014 to 2017.

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